Oklahoma senator asks Criswell crowd to practice neighborly kindness

On Friday, Sept. 21, a group of students, faculty, staff and friends of Criswell College were invited to hear Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma speak on significant matters he faces in office.

DALLAS—The Criswell Coffee Shop, located at the center of Criswell College in Dallas, is where students go to enjoy a cup of coffee and share in great conversations that often lead to new friendships, theological discussions and new ministry ideas and opportunities. But, on Friday, Sept. 21, the by-invitation-only group of students, faculty, staff and friends of the college were invited to hear Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma speak on significant matters he faces in office.

A professing Christian, the Republican senator devoted much of his hour to answering questions and sharing his thoughts about policies and platforms he values in both his personal life as well as his political life.

Lankford reminded the group that “Washington [D.C.] doesn’t change the country; the country changes Washington.”

He offered, “It just takes longer. It seems simpler just to go elect the right people instead of making the changes that need to happen for us as a culture to send people that represent our set of values. Culture changes through the action of families in the church.”

Lankford appealed to the group with a call-to-action. “If you don’t like what Washington does and says, we should engage as a country to reach out to people with a different option for how to treat their neighbor or their own personal self-worth or what it means to serve people around you; what it means to speak to somebody who’s different than you. And, there’s no better positioned group than the church to do that.”

Sen. Lankford directed his focus to Facebook and Twitter and the “incredibly toxic” platform of bitterness that prevails in social media today. He inspired his listeners to be people that drive out hate with love. “The turnaround for driving out hate with love is the gospel where people learn to love through hate and to be able to engage them. So, take on the responsibility. There’s a lot to be able to do in our culture and our community based around that. That’s not politics, but that is our calling.”

Criswell College President Barry Creamer closed the session by calling the group to surround Sen. Lankford in prayer.

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